Three people play six characters in two acts occurring in one location. The delicate threads of human interaction unfold in a small space as Windfall Theatre presents its production of Three Days of Rain now through March 1.
The Richard Greenberg drama has met with considerable acclaim since its California debut in the ’90s. The first act, set in 1995, features two sons and one daughter of a visionary pair of architects meeting to discuss the mysteries behind their parents’ inheritance. The second act, set three and a half decades earlier, features the two architects at a crucial point in their working relationship that sheds light on their legacy.
The contemporary end of the play is remarkably compelling theater. Jeremy Welter cunningly plays Walkerthe existentially tormented son of one of the most influential architects of his time. Angela Beyer brings an intelligent compassion to the stage in the role of Walker’s sister, Nan. She has been trying to track her brother down for quite some time. He periodically disappears for years on end, only occasionally resurfacing to say hello. Brother and sister are soon joined by Pip, the TV actor son of their father’s partner in architecture, played by Robert W.C. Kennedy. Judging from the script, the role was written for someone with a squarejawed GQ-model sort of look about him. Not being cursed with such vacant handsomeness, Kennedy does a clever job of steering the character in a more interesting direction.
The dynamic between Kennedy, Welter and Beyer is both compelling and believable. The story leading in to intermission is intricately engrossing on many levels. The dialogue is smart, concise and feels exceedingly natural. The characters are three very interesting people. The mysteries of their parents make the characters’ reality that much more interesting.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
The problem with this comes after intermission. The second act endeavors to reveal the truth behind the mystery of these two architects. It does it so completely that it ceases to be interesting. While the dramatic cause and effect that forges identity is remarkably well crafted, it’s a bit dull seeing it all play out in the end. In the second act, Greenberg seems to be simply finishing the equation he started in the first act. Some mysteries are better left as mysteries. That being said, the play is well worth seeing for its first act. Don’t expect much after intermission, though.
